The present invention generally relates to repositionable pressure sensitive adhesives. More specifically, the present invention relates to repositionable pressure sensitive adhesives exhibiting enhanced adhesion to a variety of application surfaces, including, but not limited to, rough surfaces, textured surfaces, or any surface exhibiting challenging adhesion characteristics, whether vertically-oriented, horizontally-oriented, or having both a vertical orientation component and a horizontal orientation component.
Repositionable pressure sensitive adhesives (also referred to herein as “repositionable PSA”s) are commonly used for attachment of temporary signage and messaging products at a variety of locations, such as home and office environments. Adhesion to a variety of application surfaces without premature detachment is a desirable property of repositionable PSAs. On the other hand, the capability of being cleanly removable from application surfaces without leaving adhesive residues on the application surfaces is a desirable property of repositionable PSAs, as well. Adhesive properties that allow numerous, repeated, re-applications to application surfaces are also desirable property for repositionable PSAs.
Elastomeric microspheres are a commonly used component of repositionable PSAs that assist with obtaining these desired characteristics of repositionable PSAs. Continuing investigations have been directed to enhancing adhesion of repositionable PSAs to application surfaces by modifying the rheology and/or chemistry of repositionable PSAs. These investigations have primarily focused on substitution of different components and/or addition of new components to modify prior repositionable PSA formulations.
One area of investigation of interest concerns creation of a repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive that exhibits enhanced adhesion when applied to challenging application surfaces other than smooth paper surfaces and minimized adhesive residue remaining on the application surfaces upon removal of repositionable adhesive articles that include the repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive. Some examples of application surfaces exhibiting challenging adhesion characteristics, include, but are not limited to, rough surfaces, textured surfaces, and charged surfaces.
The present invention provides both elastomeric microspheres and repositionable pressure sensitive adhesives that desirably possess enhanced adhesion. This holds true for both application surfaces where existing repositionable pressure sensitive adhesives perform satisfactorily, as well as, for application surfaces exhibiting more challenging adhesion characteristics.